Green buildings add to resiliency in disasters finds U.S. report

A new report, released by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, describes how green buildings advance resiliency in disasters. Adding an important new dimension to green building’s long-standing focus on reducing greenhouse gases, the potential adaptive strategies described in the report could help major corporations, government, academia, the scientific community and civil society address pre- and post-emergency management situations, ultimately forging more resilient communities.

"It is important that we develop and enforce safe and sustainable building codes to make our communities more resilient and to protect lives and property in times of disaster," said Craig Fugate, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "Green building practices, resiliency of our communities and emergency management priorities are not mutually exclusive," he added.